Panama, U.S. make huge cocaine bust in Pacific
Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:34PM EDT

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - U.S. and Panamanian authorities have seized 19.4 metric tons of cocaine on board a ship in the Pacific, making what is thought to be one of the world's biggest maritime drug busts, Panama said on Monday.

U.S. anti-drug officials and Panamanian police found the narcotics hidden in the cargo area of a Panama-registered ship off the Central American nation's coast on the weekend.

On Wednesday, Panama and the United States had seized 11 metric tons of cocaine in the Pacific.

"We found 19.4 tonnes and have arrested 14 people, Panamanians and Mexicans," a Panamanian government spokesman said.

He declined to give the street value of the haul but cocaine typically sells at about $10,000 a pound ($20,000 a kg) in the United States, Central American and U.S. anti-drug officials say.

In May 2001, the U.S. Coast Guard found 13 metric tons of cocaine aboard a Belize-registered vessel off Mexico's Pacific coast. Until Monday's announcement, it was the largest maritime drug seizure on record, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Central America and Mexico are the main transit points for South American cocaine destined for U.S. markets.


http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNew ... 1220070319